Jennifer Pittorino
Several Footscray residents have long been engaged in a battle with Maribyrnong council over an unsealed and unlit laneway.
Greenwood Lane sits behind Cowper Street, a two-minute walk from where resident Chris Wheelhouse lives.
Mr Wheelhouse has experienced many issues with this laneway backing onto his house, such as finding syringes and rubbish dumping.
“It has a problem of drug paraphernalia, it’s had a problem of dumping and it has also been the only vehicular access for a property which requires disability access at the rear,” he said.
“It is not safe to walk down, it’s not safe to get down there in a wheelchair or with any disability impairments.
Two years ago, then Maribyrnong mayor Sarah Carter confirmed a proposal to light and seal the laneway had been considered in the 2022-23 budget.
When nothing came of the budget, Mr Wheelhouse and majority of residents who used the laneway decided they were willing to help pay for the sealing and lighting.
“Council has not been able to attribute what percentage of cost contribution each property would take, no one knows and they still can’t answer it,” he said.
“I had also presented council with 43 signatures asking for the laneway to be sealed and paid for by the council.
Maribyrnong council chief executive Celia Haddock said sealing and lighting of Greenwood Lane did not receive any allocation in council’s proposed budget for the 2024-25 for several reasons.
“Council is responsible for managing and maintaining approximately 328-kilometres of sealed roads (including laneways), 18km of unsealed roads (including laneways), and 541km of footpaths,” she said.
“In line with our asset plan and within a limited budget, it must assess and prioritise projects based on asset condition and factors such as safety, usage, and overall community benefit.”
